Thrashing machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. ELWARD.

THRASHING MACHINE.

No. 268,647. Patented Dec. 5. 1882.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. H. ELWARD.

THRASHING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 5, 1882.

InvanZ? 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. H. ELWARD.

THRASHING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 5, 1882.

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N. PETERS. Plluln-Lhho rlphr. Walhi lglon. 94 C- ceiving the power.

UNITED S ATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ELWARD, OF STILLWATER, MINNESOTA.

THRASHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION .forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,647, datedDecember 5, 1882.

' Application filed December 21, 1881. (No model.)

new and useful Improvements in Thrashing' Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is an elevation of a thrashing and separating machine embodyingmy improvements, taken from the side opposite to that re- Fig. 2 is anelevation from the other side, parts of the casin g being brohen away tomore clearly show the interior parts. Fig. 3 is a View on a larger scaleof the devices at the rear end of the machine.

In the drawings I have shown the whole of a thrashing and separatingmachine, many of the parts ofwhich, however, do not pertain essentiallyto my invention, and therefore need not be here described in detail,though they are indicated by letters, thus:

A A represent the ground-wheels; B, one

sideof the casing B, the other side of the casing;-O, the feeding tableor trough; D,

the position of the fan 5 E, the tailings-eleva-- tor; F, thereturn-spout for the tailings, and G the shaking-shoe.

H represents a shaft below the cylinder and parallel to the axisthereof. I is a gear-wheel on said shaft, and J a band-wheel outsidethereof. These parts are upon the side of the machine opposite to thatreceiving power from the engine or horse-power. K is a spur pinionmeshing with the spur-wheel I.

L represents the belt-pulley on the end of the fan-shaft; and M is abelt by means of which power is taken to said belt-pulley L from theband-wheel J, there being a beltti ghtener employed, if desired, the oneshown consisting of a pulley, N, a pivoted arm, 0, and an adjustablebar, P.

Q is a crank-wheel on shaft H at the opposite side of the machine. It isconnected with the bar S by a pitman, R, which bar S reciprocates theseparating-table. The shaft H at the end having the crank-wheel (9,, issup.-

ported by means of a bracket having a vertical leg, T, attached -to the,lower sill, and a transverse arm, U, connected to the upright.

Outside of the spur-pinion K on the cylindershaft are two belt-pulleys,V V of which the pulley V conveys power to the cylinder E(to bedescribed) by means of a belt, V, and the pulley V conveys power byanother belt to the pulley a. of the beater-shaft 0. Outside of thebelt-pulley a there is a secondary pulley, c, by which power is conveyedfrom the beatershaft to the pulley cl, which operates the grainrake.

6 represents a raddle-belt or tailrake, mounted upon pulleys or rollers,f. It is supported within a detachable frame, the lower end of whichconforms to and is supported against the rear end of thethrashing-machine, it being attached thereto by means of hangers g g.This frame consists of side pieces, hh, and two bottom pieces, t It. Thepart of the bottom is connected with the partz'by means of springs l l,or otherwise, which are flexible enoughto allow the part It to swingdownward, but stitt' enough to throw said part hack and hold it, whenthe machine is'at'rest, in the same plane as the part i. This innerpart, 70, of the bottom is tossed or reciprocated up and down by theffollowin g devices:

m is an eccentric mounted on the shaft n of g the lower roller of theraddle-belt.

n is a strap surrounding the eccentric m.

o is an arm or lever pivoted at or near its center to the side h of theframe. At its upper end it ispivoted tothe strap a. At its lower end itis pivoted to a rod or pitmamp. The lower end of this pitman is mounted.loosely in a bearing formed by a block, q, said block being situatedsomewhat below the springs Z l. When the shaft nis rotated for operatingthe belt 6 the bar 0 is oscillated, and this imparts to the part koft-he bottom a quick shaking or tossing motion, whereby the grain isdischarged from the bottom more freelyinto the shoe.

The thrashing-cylinder O, with its concave D, operates in substantiallythe ordinary man nor to remove the grain from the heads. With thisordinary cylinder I have combined a secondary cylinder, for the purposeof cutting the straw into small pieces, and devices for feed ing andguiding the straw directly from the thrashing-cylinder G to thecutting-cylinder.

The cutting-cylinder is represented by E, and its concave by F, bothbeing provided with sharp teeth adapted to cut the straw. After thestraw has been operated upon by the secondary cylinder it is passed tothe beater, which in the ordinary manner operates to distribute itproperly upon the separating-table W Thestraw afterbeingthusoperateduponand passed out of the machine is ready to be packed or stored in anydesired manner, it being in .such condition as to be adapted forfeeding. This is a matter of great importance in many sections ofcountry, and is a great saving in the work and expense of thrashing andpreparing straw. The straw is guided from the thrashing-cylinder G tothe cuttingcylinder E by the grating c, the vertical walls 0 and the topd of the casing, the material passing to the second cylinder throughthese guiding devices while under the motion imparted to it by thethrashing-cylinder.

W represents a cut-off, consisting of a board or partition which extendsfrom immediately in rear of the end beater, W, to a suitable point abovethe separating-table. It is hinged at its upperedge, and at its loweredge is arranged to swing to a limited extent, its downward movementbeing limited by one or more stops, w. It operates to prevent the airover the separating-table from being thrown forward bythe beater towardand beyond the cylinder, this air being heavily charged with dust Whilethe machine is in operation. Its lower end is allowed to swingsomewhat,.so that it can be elevated sufficiently to permit the passageof any straw that may be carried around by the beater While revolving.

K (see Fig. 2) is a swinging apron or guard, arranged in rear of theheater and the cut-ofi' W, and adapted to receive straw and grain thrownfrom the beater, and to hinder or restrain their passage toward the tailend of the machine.

I do not claim broadly an apron or guard arranged in rear of athrashing-cylinder or heater; but I believe that the combinationtherewith of a heater and the cut-off W is new. It may consist of acurtain, a sheet of metal, or board; or it may be composed of a seriesof round bars or rods flexibly connected with the casing and arranged inparallel lines, horizontal or vertical, in the usual manner. Thecut-ofl' will also prevent any grain which may rebound from the guard Xfrom coming in c ntact with the blades of the beater and being thusshattered.

Heretofore it has been customary to reciprocate the shoe by means of arod operated by an eccentric on the shaft. The eccentric and its strap,it has been found, require much careful attention to prevent their beingcut and entirely destroyed, and even when such attention is bestowedupon these parts they are rapidly worn away, and are a source ofconstant trouble and expense. I obviate this by means of a simplearrangement of cheaply and easily constructed parts, which are not onlynot liable to the impairing agencies which destroy the eccentric andstrap, but are also easily replaced if breakage or Wear should occur.These devices consist of two levers, X X, the former pivoted to theconnecting-bar S between the cranks of the separating-table, and theother, X, pivoted to the part X and tothe lower sill of the machine. Therod x, which operates the shoe, is pivoted to the part X. This latterconnection may be adjustable, so as to alter the throw of the rod :20,and the pivot as may also be adjustable, if desired.

' I am aware that use has been made of a hinged shield immediatelybehind the thrashin g-cylinder for the purpose of deflecting theupwardly-thrown straw, and insuring that it shall be delivered properlyto the separatingtable; but I am not aware of the use of a shieldconstructed and arrangedsimilarly to the cutoff or hinged shield W,which I have shown adapted both to preventthe drawing toward thecylinder of dust-laden air and also to yield to any lumps or masses ofstraw that may be carried upward by the beater behind which it isarranged.

What I claim is- 1. In a thrashing and separating machine, the combination, with the thrashing-cylinder O and concave D, arranged toseparate the grain from the straw, and the cutting-cylinder E andconcave F, arranged to cut the straw after the separation of the grain,of the guiding devices c c d, which conduct the straw to the cutting-clinder as it is thrown from the thrash; ing-cylinder, substantially asset forth.

2. In a thrashing and separating machine, the combination, with thestraw-carrier, having the swinging bottom 70, of the shaft n, theeccentrics m on said shaft,and links connecting said eccentrics withtheswinging bottom, substantially as set forth.

Y 3. In a thrashing and separating machine, the combination, with thethrashing-cylinder, the separating-table, and the beater behind thecylinder and above the table, of the cut-off W hinged at its upper edgebehind the beater, the

lower edge arranged in proximity to the beater and adapted to yieldupwardly, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4:. The combination, with the beater, the separating-table, and thecut-off W, of the yielding guard X substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the thrashing-cylinder, the separating-table,the beater behind the cylinder and above the table, of the cut-offW,situa ted behind the heater, and stops arranged, substantially as setforth, to hold the cut-off when in a normal position, inclined towardthe beater, the cutoff being hinged to yield upwardly at its lower end,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. ELWARD.

Witnesses:

H. H. DOUBLEDAY, H. H. BLIss.

IIO

